Illuminated sign



March 15, 1960 Filed July 29, 1957 S. MADANICK ILLUMINATED SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MH. 514M 'ATTOAMFX March 15, 1960 s. MADANICK 2,928,198

ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed July 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 30A Q l E INVENFOR.

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A ITOAAEX 'ILLUMINATED SIGN Sydney Madanick, Cheltenham, Pa. Application July -29, 195 7,Serial No. 674,802

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-131) The present invention relates to an illuminated sign and more particularly to an illuminated sign which may be readily assembled and disassembled upon one or more fluorescent light bulbs.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Serial No. 591,860, filed June 18, 1956, for Illuminated Sign.

The illuminated sign disclosed in my earlier patent application Serial No. 591,860 comprised a highly useful and attractive sign in which the characters might be readily changed, are light in weight, attractive, and could be mounted either horizontally or vertically without the use-of tracks, a box support, or the like.

. The present invention is directed to a superior embodiment in which-the use of filters or light diffusing means for coloring the light from the fluorescent lightbulb upon which the sign is mounted may be obviated, and in which exceptionally rapid change of the indicia of the sign is possible? Moreover, in theill'ur'ninated sign of the present invention positive alignment of the individual elements forming the sign is absolutely insured. Displacement ofone of the elements in respect to is completely avoided.

The elements forming the illuminated sign of the present invention may bereadily formed from integral pieces of plastic at very low cost and* have an exceedingly long useful operating life. Moreover, the indicia utilized in the elements of the present invention may likewise be readily formed at a low cost from plastic, and likewise have a very long'useful operating life.

- This invention has as an object'the provision of an attractive sign which may be easily mounted directlyon to one or' morefluoresce'iitlightbulbs, and whose indicia may. be readily replacedwhile the sign is disposed in its mounteddispositionf i This invention has as another object the provision of a low cost sign whose indicia are interchangeable.

This invention has as still another object the provision of a low cost sign of great strength and durability whose illuminated colors may be varied to suit the whims of the user.

This invention has as a yet further object the provision of a sign formed of a plurality of characters, each of which is positively aligned when the sign is disposed in its mounted position, with misalignment of the individual characters being prevented.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 1

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of one of the characters of the present invention used in the sign of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of one embodiment of another of the elements l'y formed from flexible plastic.

the sign of the present invention mounted upon a horizontal fluorescent lightbulb.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3-3- of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.'

-. Figure 6 is an elevational view showing the facile mode by which the characters of the present invention may be stacked for-"storage purposes.

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of a modified em bodiment of the character of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the modified embodiment of the characterof the present invention shown in Figure 7. a i

Figure 9 is a front elevational view of another modified embodiment of the, present invention. Figure 10 is ,afside elevationalwiewof the modified embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a side view of a modified embodiment of the character of the present invention mounted upon a pair of spaced fluorescent tubes.

Figure 12 is a side view of another embodiment of the character ofthe'present invention mounted upon a group of four spaced fluorescent tubes.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figures 1 through -5 inclusive: the character of the present invention shown therein is designated generally as 20. The sign of the present invention is designated generally as 22 (see Figure 2) and includes a plurality of the characters 20, each of which is identical with the remaining characters except for the removable indiciurn portion.

. The character'20 of the sign 22 is preferably integral- A wide variety of flexible plastics which maybe molded to form the character 20 1 are presently availableto the art, and any one of such plastics may be utilized in the present invention; Preferless. than the outside diameter ably, the plastic used toform the character 20 should be opaque, and may be colored a neutral color such as white orgray;

The character 20 includes a pair of juxtaposed inwardly converging clamp elements 24 which project rearwardly from the frame portion 26. As seen particularly in Figures ,3 and 4, the clamp elements 24 should be spaced from each other at their free ends a distance somewhat of a conventional fluorescent tube 28 so that the character 20 may be frictionally mounted upon the fluorescent tube 28 with the clamp elements 24 frictionallyembraceably gripping a portion of the periphery of the fluorescent tube 28.

By forming the clamp elements 24 as flat bands running substantially the entire width of the frame portion 26, light from the fluorescent tube 28 will be reflected off of the inner faces of the clamp elements 24 onto the in dicium portion30 carried by the character 20. Moreover, since in a preferred embodiment of the characters of the present invention, the frame portion 26 comprises a square, the clamp elements 24 may grip the fluorescent tube 28 either in a fashion such that the characters 20 forming the sign 22 are disposed horizontally (as in Figure 2) or in the case of a vertically disposed fluorescent tube,

' such characters 20 may be disposed vertically toform a flange 32 is provided with four inwardly directed reten' tion lugs along its forwardmost margin, namely retention lugs 36 and 38 on flange portion 32a, retention lug 40 on Pai'iented Mar. 15, 1960,

flange portion 32b and retention lug 42 on flange portion 320.

The flange portion 32d, which does not carry any retention lugs in the embodiment shown in Figures l through is provided with a slot 44 which extends for .thefull transverse length of the retention shoulder 34. The slot 44 has a width somewhat greater than the width of indicium portion 30 and a length somewhat greater than the side dimension of the square-shaped indicium portion 30,so that the indicium portion 30 may be passed through the slot 44 and received within the frame portion 26 with its rear face retained against the retention shoulder 34 and its front face retained against the retentionflugs 36, 38, 40 and 42.

It will be seen that the portion of the retention shoulder 34 adjacent the flange portions 32b and 320' is arcuate. The indicium portion 30 is similarly curved so that it is carried on the frame portion 26 in the manner seen particularly well in Figure 4. The slight curvature of the indicium portion reduces the reflectivity of the indicium portion 30, permittingthe same to have a'highly finished surface without reflecting light from adjacent lights other than fluorescent tube 28.

The frame portion 26 adjacent the 'flange portion 32c is provided with a laterally projecting locking lug 46, and the frame portion 26 adjacent the flange portion 32b is provided with a recess 48 in which the locking lug 46 may be received. As seen in Figure 2, the sign 22 comprises a plurality of characters 20, the locking lugs 46 of which are received in the adjacent recesses 48 of the contiguous characters 20. This prevents misalignment of the characters 20 when the same are-mounted on the fluorescent tube 28. t

Figure 6 reveals the facile manner in which the characters 20 of the present invention may be stacked for storage. Thus, the clamp elements 24 of one character may be passed through the opening defined by the reten tion shoulder 34 of another character in the manner shown in the drawings, the flexibility of the plastic utilized to form the characters permitting resilient engagement between the characters.

The character 20a shown in Figures 7 and 8 generally resembles the character 20 except that in addition to the lugs 36a, 38a, 40a and 42a, which generallyresemble lugs 36, 38, 40 and 42, there are provided the lugs 50 and 52 on frame portions 32b and 32c.

In the character embodiment 20b shown in Figures 9 and 10, the construction is generally identical to the character 20 of Figures 1 through 5 except that the retention shoulder 34 presents a planar surface so that a planar indicium portion 30b is utilized.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 11, the character 20c generally resembles the character 20, except that its size is such that it embraces a pair of fluorescent tubes 28a, and 28b, with one of its clamp elements 24a engaging the fluorescent tube 28:: and the other of its clamp elements 24b engaging the fluorescent tube 28b.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 12 the character 20d generally resembles the character 20 except that its size is such that it embraces four spaced fluorescent tubes 28c, 28d, 28a, and 28), with its clamp element 240 engaging the fluorescent tube 28c and its clamp element 24d engaging the fluorescent tube 28:1.

The characters 200 and 20d shown in Figures 11 and 12 may be used to form relatively large signs.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claim, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

A sign character holder to'be mounted upona supporting bar comprising a unitary member, said unitary member being formed from flexible plastic, said member including a pair of inwardly converging clamp elements on opposite sides of its rear face, said clamp elements being planar members formed of flexible material and constructed and arranged to frictionally engage at least an appreciable portion of the periphery of a supporting bar, a window aperture in said member defining a closed figure and bordered by an inwardly extending frame, a frontwardly projecting flange surrounding said window aperture, a slot in one portion of said flange, the remainder of said flange being imperforate, said slot in said flange receiving an indicium-carrying element, and inwardly projecting means spaced from said frame for retaining an indicium-carrying element intermediate said means and said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 214,770 Gathright Apr. 29, 1879 2,553,100 Lynch May 15, 1951 2,587,434 Boaden et al Feb. 26, 1952 2,740,216 Lieberman Apr. 3, 1956 2,796,688 Van Praag June 25, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 160,491 Australia Ian. 10, .1955

509,302 Belgium Mar. 15,1952

671,740 Great Britain May 7, 1952 1,058,391 France Nov. -4, 195,3 

